System and method for controlling facsimile apparatus in response to a computer generated signal or a CNG signal

ABSTRACT

A facsimile apparatus connected to a telephone line and incorporating an automatic telephone answering and recording device, which is able to be responsive to various inputs, for example, a calling tone (CNG) or similar signal sent from a calling party&#39;s apparatus, or a specified signal sent by a calling party by pushing a DTMF tone button. If a user picks up a handset of a telephone set connected to the telephone line during the operation of the automatic telephone answering device, the facsimile apparatus is not energized and returns to the standby mode in response to the off-hook operation of the telephone set, so that he or she can talk directly with the calling party. And during the telephone conversation between calling and called parties, the facsimile apparatus can be energized in response to manual operation, for instance, pushing of a button by either of the parties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The facsimile apparatus has made rapid progress recently in the U.S.market. In a conventional facsimile apparatus, there is developed amachine which combines with an automatic telephone answering device oruses one telephone line by shifting between the facsimile apparatus anda telephone set. However, each of the apparatus has its merits anddemerits for practical use, so that a user has been confused which oneto choose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus incorporating atelephone answering machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimileapparatus (FAX) incorporating a telephone answering machine (TAM)wherein an incoming telephone call is received and answered first by theTAM and thereafter the FAX is energized.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a facsimileapparatus (FAX) incorporating a telephone answering machine (TAM)wherein the engaging circuit is formed by the TAM in response to anincoming telephone call and thereafter means for shortening the accesstime for the FAX is provided.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a facsimileapparatus (FAX) incorporating a telephone answering machine (TAM)wherein, during the operation of the TAM, off-hook operation by a calledparty enables both the called and calling parties to talk to each otherwithout energizing the FAX.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a facsimileapparatus (FAX) incorporating a telephone answering machine (TAM),wherein during a telephone conversation between both called and callingparties described in the above object, the called party's FAX can beenergized in response to the depression of certain manual operationbutton of a push-button telephone by either of the two parties, withoutdisengaging a telephone line.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a facsimileapparatus (FAX) which is able to be responsive to various energizingsignals. These signals include an output of a calling tone (CNG) signalwhich is used in almost all FAX apparatus, or the inputs from variousinterfaces to a CPU (microprocessor) for applying a controlled outputthereof to an OR logic circuit.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which a preferredembodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrativeexample.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The figure is a circuit diagram explaining the principle of thisinvention.

BEST MODE FOR PRACTICING THE INVENTION

The arrangement and operation in the preferred embodiment of theinvention will now be described. The drawing describes a construction ofa facsimile apparatus as an example of this invention. In the drawing,reference symbols L1 and L2 denote terminals of a telephone line.Reference symbols TEL denote a telephone set. Reference numeral 1denotes a ringing circuit for detecting a calling signal, the circuithaving a means for detecting an on-hook condition by the calling partyand a means for detecting an on-hook condition of the telephone set TEL,which uses a common part of the ringing circuit 1. When a facsimileprocessing section which will be described later is operated (whichmeans is in a busy condition), the above means for detecting the on-hookis not operated.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a micro computer of one chip (herein afterit is called a CPU) which sets the ROM (read-only memory). In the CPU 2,reference symbols I-1-I-4 denote input ports. Reference symbol 0-1-0-5denote output ports. The keyboard for operating, which is not shown inthe drawing, is connected to the CPU 2. Reference numeral 3 denotes asolid state memory which can record and playback the outgoing message(OGM) and four messages (ICM-1-ICM-4). Reference numerals 4 and 5 denoteanalog switches. Reference numerals 6, 7, 8, and 14 denote amplifiers.Reference numeral 9 denotes a tone decoder for decoding a PB tone (DTMF)sent for starting the facsimile device by the calling party, as will bedescribed later. Reference numeral 10 denotes a facsimile processingsection.

When the facsimile processing section 10 is set to the receive mode bythe keyboard (not shown in the drawing), a video signal which isinputted after a signal of an H level (start signal) is inputted to theSTART terminal, is recorded on paper (not shown in the drawing). In thisrecording operation, the BUSY terminal is set to the H level, and thisoutput is input to the ringing circuit (this operation will be describedlater).

Reference numeral 11 denotes a CNG signal receipt section. Referencenumeral 12 denotes a bidirectional amplifier. Reference numeral 13denotes a hybrid circuit which prevents input of the outgoing messagewhich is input to the input terminal, to the output terminal OUT. Thevoice from the calling party input through the line transformer LT isoutput from the output terminal OUT. Reference numeral 15 denotes aspeaker.

Operation of the invention will now be described as follows. The solidstate memory 3 is divided into five areas as shown in the drawing, andthe outgoing message OGM is recorded previously in part of the solidstate memory 3. The device is set to the receive mode by the keyboard(not shown in the drawing). In the above waiting condition, when thecalling signal is input to the telephone line L1, L2, the calling signalis detected by the ringing circuit 1, and keeps the relay Y-1 in an ONcondition through the input port I-1 of the CPU 2. As a result, thetelephone lines L1, L2 are set to the closed condition to form a mainloop through the contacts y1-1 and the line transformer LT, and thecalling signal stops, the condition of talking over the telephone isset. The output port O-3 of the CPU 2 is set to the H level by theprogram, and the analog switch 4 is set to ON. Thereafter, playback ofthe outgoing message OGM starts in accordance with the code sent throughthe output port O-2. The outgoing message is output through theamplifier 6, the hybrid circuit 13, and the line transformer LT. Whenthe calling party does not need to use the facsimile apparatus, and itis possible to record the incoming message (ICM) in the solid statememory 3, and when the end of the outgoing message OGM is detectedthrough the input port I-3 of the CPU 2, the analog switch 4 is set toOFF and the analog switch 5 is set to ON through the output port O-4 ofthe CPU 2. The range of the memory for the first incoming message ICM-1,for example, is designated through the output port O-2. Accordingly, theincoming message from the calling party is recorded in the position ofICM-1 in the solid state memory through the line transformer LT, thehybrid circuit 13, the amplifier 7, and the analog switch 5.

As above, when the calling party does not need to use the facsimileapparatus, and the end of recording the incoming message is detectedthrough the input port I-2 of the CPU, the signal of H level is outputfrom the output port O-5, and this signal is input to the START terminalof the facsimile processing section, and the facsimile processingsection is operated. A discrimination signal by operating the facsimileprocessing device 10, which is well known (CED signal for example), issent to the calling party through the SIGNAL terminal and the amplifier12.

If the caller does not need to use the facsimile apparatus, when thecalling party hears the signal, the calling party sets the telephone setto the on-hook condition. The on-hook condition is detected through theringing circuit 1 and the input port I-1 of the CPU 2. As a result, therelay Y-1, which was set to ON is set to OFF, and the device is placedin the waiting condition.

When the solid state memory 3 is filled with the incoming message byrepeating the above operation, the apparatus carries out only answeringto the received signal, because the solid state memory can not recordany more incoming messages. At this time, it is possible to switch theoutgoing message to an exclusive outgoing message.

Anyway, when the signal is received and the output of the outgoingmessage OGM is finished, the finishing is detected through the inputport I-3, the facsimile processing section 10 is operated through theoutput port O-5 as above, and the discrimination signal of the facsimiledevice is output to the calling party. When the calling party does notneed to use the facsimile apparatus, the calling party can understand bylistening to the discrimination signal that the incoming message can notbe recorded, and the calling party sets the telephone set to the on-hookcondition. The device is placed in the waiting condition by beingon-hook as discussed above.

Each mode when the calling party needs to use the facsimile apparatuswill be now described, in order.

(i) When the facsimile device of the calling party is standard.

In this case, the calling party calls this device as above. After thecalling party listens to the outgoing message and records the incomingmessage, and after the calling party listens to the discriminationsignal, the calling party pushes the button of the facsimile apparatus(not shown in the drawing) of the calling party side, and as a result,the specific tone is output from the facsimile apparatus of the callingparty side. Following some "handshaking", the facsimile apparatus ofeach side is set to the condition of communication, and it is possibleto send a letter. This operation is not discussed, because it is knownwell.

(ii) When the facsimile apparatus of the calling party side has a meansfor sending the CNG signal;

In this case, after this device is called by the facsimile apparatus ofthe calling party side, and the condition of talking over the telephoneis,.set, the CNG signal (1100 Hz) is input during sending of theoutgoing message. The CNG signal is detected by the CNG signal receiptsection 11 through the line transformer LT and the amplifier 12, and asa result, the facsimile processing section 10 is operated such as by thestart signal, the discrimination signal is output from the facsimileprocessing section 10 as in the above explanation, and the facsimileapparatus at each side is set to the condition of communication.

(iii) When the facsimile apparatus at each side is set to the conditionof communication by the specific signal sent from the calling partyside.

In this case, the specific signal is a DTMF tone signal which can bechanged by the user of the facsimile. During sending the outgoingmessage or after recording the incoming message, a button #, for exampleon the telephone set (DTMF tone type) is pushed, the # tone is generatedat this time, and the # tone is decoded by the tone decoder 9 throughthe line transformer LT and the amplifier 8. When the # tone is decoded,and is determined by the CPU 2 to be the previously programmed tone thefacsimile processing section 10 is operated through the output port O-5,as in the above explanation, and the facsimile apparatus at each side isset to the condition of communication.

(iv) When the facsimile apparatus at each side is set to the conditionof communication after the calling party side talks to the called partyside.

As in the above explanation, when the ringing signal from the callingparty is received, the device records the message from the calling partyafter the outgoing message is output. The voice from the calling partycan be monitored through the line transformer LT, the hybrid circuit 13,the amplifier 7, the amplifier 14, and the speaker 15 by outputting theoutgoing message or recording the message from the calling party.Accordingly, when the called party hopes to talk with the calling party,the called party sets the telephone set TEL to the off-hook condition.This off-hook condition is detected by the ringing circuit 1. As aresult, the relay Y-1 is set to OFF through the input port I-1.Accordingly, the contact y1-1 opens, and the operation as the telephoneanswering device is released.

At the same time, the output detected by the off-hook of the telephoneset TEL sets the relay Y-2 to On through the input port I-5 of the CPU2. The resistance R1 is connected with the capacitor C1 through thepoint of contact y2-1, forming an optional sub-loop, as shown in thedrawing.

After talking over the telephone, when the calling party hopes tocommunicate by the facsimile apparatus, the # tone is sent from thecalling party as above. This signal is detected through the resistanceR1, the condenser C1, and the line transformer LT as above. As a result,the facsimile apparatus between the calling party and called party areoperated. The relay Y-1 is set to ON at the same time when the facsimileapparatus is operated. The telephone line is set to the closed conditionby the point of contact y1-1, and the closed condition of the telephoneline by the telephone set is released by the signal from the BUSYterminal of the facsimile processing section 10.

Thus, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of theinvention has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription and is not intended to be exhaustive to limit the inventionto the precise forms disclosed, since many modifications and variationsare possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosenand described in order best to explain the principles of the inventionand its practical application, thereby to enable others skilled in theart best to utilize the invention in various embodiments and withvarious modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplatedthereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined bythe claims appended hereto, when interpreted in accordance with fullbreadth to which they are legally and equitable entitled.

What is claimed:
 1. An interface for connecting a facsimile apparatus toa telephone line comprising:a microprocessor; means for enabling thestarting of operation of said facsimile apparatus in response to any ofa plurality of input signals including a start signal generated by themicroprocessor and a calling tone signal (CNG) sent from a callingparty's apparatus; ringing circuit means operative in response to anincoming telephone call to provide a control input signal to saidmicroprocessor; relay means for telephone line engaging, energized by anoutput from said microprocessor when said control signal is inputted, toengage a main loop; and telephone answering and recording means forautomatically generating an outgoing message and recording an incomingmessage in response to the engagement of said main loop; saidmicroprocessor including(a) means for detecting an occurrence of apredetermined condition; and (b) means for generating said start signalin response to said predetermined condition; said interface therebystarting operation of said facsimile apparatus in response to saidpredetermined condition.
 2. The interface of claim 1, wherein saidpredetermined condition comprises completion of said incoming message.3. The interface of claim 1, wherein said predetermined conditioncomprises receipt of a coded signal on the telephone line.
 4. Theinterface of claim 1, including circuit means for releasing said relaymeans in response to detection of an off-hook operation of a telephoneset connected to the telephone line to return said facsimile apparatus,having been enabled in response to the incoming call, to a standby modewithout being operated.
 5. The interface of claim 4, further includingsecond relay means for engaging a sub loop for DTMF tone reception inresponse to the off-hook operation, wherein said facsimile apparatus isoperated in response to sending of a DTMF tone by either a calling partyor a called party after a direct conversation between them, and forthereafter releasing said sub loop.